A long-running dispute between the Croydon Homeowners’ Association (HOA) and NPO Helderberg Uitreik has intensified following commencement of construction on a new community centre on erf 3430 in Johannesburg Street, Croydon.
Despite the City of Cape Town confirming that all necessary approvals are in place, the HOA insists the development is unwanted and goes against years of community opposition.
The land in question is zoned for Community Use and is owned by Helderberg Uitreik.
According to the City, the process began in 2019, when an application to consolidate and rezone the property from Single Residential to Community Use was approved by the Municipal Planning Tribunal (MPT).
“The community has been against Helderberg Uitreik since the idea of placing this there was first mooted,” stated Lincoln Meyer, chairperson of the Croydon HOA.
Meyer confirmed that residents have records of being against the development since 2019, stating they requested “countless times to construct any type of facility other than an ECD centre”.
He claimed the NPO continued to “disrespect the wishes of the community”.
The HOA has submitted a petition to halt the process and also met with Helderberg Uitreik last Thursday (13 November) to “again reach an amicable decision,” but again reiterated their unhappiness with the project.
The City further clarified the timeline of approvals, including a 2019 rezoning and a medium-sized Site Development Plan (SDP) approval and a 2021 application to amend the SDP for a larger building approval. A further amendment for a smaller building than previously approved was granted in March this year.
In August, the building plan, consistent with the reduced SDP, was approved, and construction has since commenced.
Regarding the community’s demand for public participation post-approval, the City noted: “Public participation was done during the rezoning process to change the land-use right… No public-participation process is required for the submission of a building plan [if it complies with the approved SDP].”
The core of the community’s frustration lies in the perceived necessity and the proposed function of the centre.
“We are battling to understand why public participation isn’t necessary if the change of the land-use is so vastly different?” Meyer questioned. “An ECD centre is by far a more welcome community asset.”
He further challenged the NPO’s assessment: “Did Helderberg Uitreik submit a formal study of the area to showcase the need for such a centre along with it application?”
Meyer also contested the location itself: “In the entire Ward 109, Croydon is the last place that needs a centre like this.”
Residents all echoed the same sentiment
The City provided clarity on the proposed use, stating: “As far as we understood, the proposal is to develop a community development centre for the local community where people are upskilled. It is not a rehabilitation centre and no overnight accommodation is allowed.”
Asked to comment on the latest meeting, Melanie Smit of Helderberg Uireik stated: “Helderberg Uitreik and Elizayo (the community centre) are very grateful to have had another opportunity to meet with all the HOA of Croydon. We commit ourselves to continue journeying with the community of Croydon and all the stakeholders to find a way to create a safe space where young people may flourish and develop.”
Meyer said Croydon HOA remained “unequivocally unhappy with the development”.
He further expressed the association’s hopes that it can to persuade Helderberg Uitreik to move their investment to an area that will “embrace them”.
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